Corgis are quick-to-train dogs who love to please their families. This little gentleman of a dog will amaze you as he quickly catches on to the gratification you receive from his shaking your hand. This trick is easy enough for children to teach your corgi.
Step 1
Start in a sitting position. If you haven't taught the sit position, put your corgi on a leash and put a treat in front of his nose. Bring the treat over his head and as his nose follows the treat and his butt hits the ground to keep his balance, say, “Sit.” Give the treat and lots of praise. Practice sitting several times per day until your corgi masters this command before moving to “Shake hands.”
Step 2
Kneel facing your sitting corgi. Hold the treat in front of his nose so he gets a good smell of the reward. Tickle the back of your dog's paw pads with your empty hand. Most dogs are ticklish and will lift their paws. As your corgi lifts his paw, say, “Shake” and gently put his paw in your empty hand. Say, “Good shake!” in a high-pitched voice as you give him the treat. If he is not ticklish, gently lift his paw from the ground while giving the “Shake” command and follow the same steps. Repeat several times.
Step 3
Say, “Shake,” but do not reach for his paw. If your corgi lifts his paw, give him praise using your cheerleading voice and shower him with treats.
References
Tips
- Gradually gain your corgi's confidence about having his paws touched by giving him treats while petting his paws. Peanut butter is a treat that can last several minutes while you gently touch his paws.
- New tricks should be performed between 50 to 60 times during the first week, in short bursts of two to three minutes followed by a break, according to Dog Tricks of the Trade.
- Train your corgi during meals by measuring out his breakfast and dinner dry food and giving the food as treats.
Warnings
- If your corgi is not accustomed to having his paws touched, do not grab them; this could lead to a defensive bite.
Writer Bio
Melissa McNamara is a certified personal trainer who holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and communication studies from the University of Iowa. She writes for various health and fitness publications while working toward a Bachelor of Science in nursing.